Cerritos to launch test program of electric-car charging stations

Cerritos is the latest city to sign on to a pilot program to provide electrical charging stations for vehicles.

San Francisco-based ECOtotality North America will provide two, 240-volt charging stations on the top level of the Cerritos Civic Center parking structure at 18124 Bloomfield Ave.

Each of the plug-in stations can charge a vehicle in four to eight hours. Users can become members of the Blink Network and access the units for a fee, between $1 and $1.50 per hour. Guest users will pay $2 per hour.

Each station is connected to the Internet, which allows Apple and Android apps to locate chargers and check station availability.

ECOtotality will maintain the stations during the pilot program, which runs through December 2013, city officials said.

Once the pilot program ends, the city will evaluate its effectiveness to determine if it will be expanded or eliminated.

Under the terms of the agreement, the city will receive 50 percent of the revenue generated by the two stations, which will cover the city's electricity costs at the stations.

In November, the Long Beach City Council also approved a contract with ECOtotality for the installation of a dozen charging stations throughout the city, with the possibility of additional stations in the future.

In other business, the Cerritos City Council recently approved a number of city-improvement projects, including a $98,098 contract to rehabilitate parking lots at Cerritos Park East and the Cerritos Swim and Fitness Center, and bike lane improvements on Artesia Boulevard.

The bike lane improvements will be paid for by the state's Transportation Development Act. The improvements are expected to be completed by January.

Also approved was a $45,000 project for repairs to city sidewalks, curbs and gutters; and an additional $16,500 to improve access to Jacob Park along Jacob Avenue in accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.